seeking elysium
by everyshadedsilver
Summary: [ON HIATUS: percabeth zombie apocalypse, au] "i do it because everyone deserves their own Elysium." a story of two survivors trying to live as best as they can in a broken world. complete summary inside.
1. h a u n t

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize :) Enjoy**

* * *

**_~ Seeking Elysium ~_**

* * *

_Full summary: _

The zombie apocalypse used to be just a concept- fuel for movies and video games. Until the Outbreak.

Now, with mindless killers at every turn and hope fading to black, Percy just wants to survive long enough to find a place to call home.

And even when the world is burning at the hands of the Infected, Annabeth has known Hell on Earth all her life. Now that she's been given a second chance, all she wants is to survive until she can find her own Elysium.

But like everything in this world, some things are just not what they seem. With the world crumbling to ashes around them, can these survivors grasp their dreams before they disappear in the smoke?

* * *

_"don't let them haunt you... that, i beg"_

✦ percy ✦

_Percy really misses the days when he had a choice._

As much as he doesn't want to, it's hard not to let his thoughts drift to the days of sugary cereal, pizza, and Burger King. It's especially hard when his most common delicacies of the past seven months have all come out of a cylinder of metal.

But to be fair, who doesn't love a non-perishable?

He shoves the last can of beans into his bag after stealing another glance at Estelle, who's keeping watch. His heart twangs with emotion at the sight of her hallowed cheeks and thin arms- all the aftereffects of lacking food the past winter. Percy continues down the aisle, shaking the thought from his head.

The coppery stench of blood, death, and rotting skin films the air of the supermarket. He had to shield his baby sister's eyes from the sight of the decapitated head that welcomed them at the front of the store, its yellowed irises aimed in opposite directions.

The fact that the grocery store hasn't already been picked clean is a bit more concerning than Percy likes. It means that there's enough of the Infected in the area that most Remainders don't bother themselves with the trouble.

_But Percy's never been like most Remainders._ And they need food. This store is the closest within a four mile radius, which is the farthest he can go in order to get back before nightfall.

He scans the shelves that line the linoleum tiles, searching for anything left that could be of use. The 24 year old doesn't find much, from what little he can see through the darkness, anyways. He's just about to stand from his crouch when he hears a soft yelp behind him.

Percy turns, immediately alert. "What is it, Stella?" His words are low.

His younger sister points in the opposite direction he's facing, her lower lip trembling and her eyebrows pinched. Percy follows Estelle's finger and peers down the aisle. His vision tunnels as one of the Infected stumbles into view.

Black blood spills onto the floors as it ambles towards Estelle, who huffs and scoots back to hide behind Percy. She whispers into the sleeve of his jacket. "Make it go away. Please, Percy, please."

He nods and gives her a squeeze while he mentally curses himself for failing to notice a Red missing its _jaw_ during his initial sweep. _How had he missed it?_ Percy quickly glances at his little sister, rubbing her mahogany brown hair. "Stay here, okay?" He points to an empty shelf that had previously held cream of mushrooms. "Look, go hide over there. And close your eyes. You know what to do."

She nods rapidly and huddles into the shelf, digging her face into her kneecaps.

Percy stands, clicking the safety off of his rifle, and slowly approaches the Infected that hadn't gotten much closer in the past few seconds.

He had already guessed it from its speed, but a closer look at its eyes tell him that he's correct. It's a Red that slowly stalks closer to him, its eyes bloodshot and its irises the shade of crimson. Boils and welts litter its hands and neck. It shuffles closer to Percy.

He shakes his head, wondering what sadist had removed its jaw and let it continue on its way. Being without a lower set of teeth would never stop a Red from infecting or killing anyone else. _That was one of the things The Walking Dead had gotten wrong. _Percy had learned that early on with difficulty.

He lets it take a few more steps before he fires two rounds into its chest. The Infect stumbles, its head slamming against tile as a sickening _squelch _fills the store. Percy clicks the safety back on and pulls out his knife, creeping closer to the thing.

Its eyes follow him and it lowly groans, lifting a gross hand to grab at him. The 24 year old kicks it away with a grimace before crouching down beside it, twirling his knife between his fingers with an expertise that partly scares him.

Before long, its head is removed from its body and the Red is no longer letting loose any low groans.

He stands and backs away, nauseous. "Stella," he calls over his shoulder. Percy forces himself to turn his back.

Estelle scrambles out from her hiding place, her bright eyes are relieved. "Yes?" Her voice can barely reach higher than a whisper.

He smiles and gestures with his hands that are stained with coal toned blood. "I need a few wipes. Could you get them out for me, please?"

She grins a little when she nods, reaching into her own backpack to pull out a packet of wipes. She takes several before handing them to Percy.

"Thank you." He moves to press a kiss to the top of her head before he wipes off his hands. As soon as his skin is free of every drop of infected blood, he sheathes his knife and slings the bag of food over his shoulder.

Estelle moves forward to grab his hand. She chews on her lip as she stares up at him, her eyes large and round and framed by the most admirable eye lashes he's ever seen.

"You think we have everything we need, Stella?"

She nods before giving him another small grin. Percy rubs the top of her head.

They creep back out of the supermarket, their footsteps ghosting over the floor tiles with silence and their breaths quiet and controlled. Again, the 24 year old moves to cover his baby sister's eyes as the sole head of the Yellow that sits by the front of the door looms into view. He scoops her up into his arms and she buries her face into his neck.

They shuffle into the parking lot. Percy instantly notices that the sun is far lower in the sky than it had been when he entered the store. He scolds himself. _You have to be quicker, Jackson._

Estelle wriggles out of his grasp and the pair make their way to the car that they had come with. Percy pulls the keys from an outside pocket of his bag, still ever so grateful that he had been lucky enough to find a car _with_ keys.

But his gratefulness runs short when he slides the jagged-edged metal into the ignition and he remembers that he had driven to the store with the tank practically empty. He sighs heavily, trying his hardest to hide his disappointment lest his sister notices. Plastering on his best poker face, he glances over his shoulder where Estelle is curled up in the back seat. "Hey, Stella?"

She hums in response, sitting up slowly and her eyes widening.

Percy turns fully. "Pick another car."

She giggles, realizing what he means as soon as he asks, and turns towards the windows. She scans what little bit of the parking lot that she can see. Percy silently prays that the area remains clear until they leave.

"That one." She points to a silvery blue F-150 a few slots down. Estelle looks over her shoulder, chewing her lower lip. "Is that... okay?"

"It's perfect." He confirms. The small bit of relieved pride that grows on her face is enough to strengthen him for days. "I like the way you think, girl. Let's go."

.✧✦✧.

It makes him feel better to think that he's barred the door just as night falls.

That he's barred the door just as the sun dips past the horizon, darkening the sky, and the stars begin to shine brightly and the hungry of the mindless killers that ignited the world's end begin to hunt.

It makes him feel _a_ _lot_ better.

Even though they aren't sleeping beneath the sky tonight, truly vulnerable to any dangers that may lumber past, Percy still cradles his rifle in his lap and lays out his sleeping bag closer to the door than Estelle's. One can never be too careful. After all, the only Infected ones hunting past sun down are the ones who _truly_ hunger for flesh- and to Percy, those were closest to the most dangerous.

A simple bar over a door would hardly stop a Red anomaly. Let alone a hungry Yellow or, _god forbid_, a pack of Greys.

His hands grip his rifle all the tighter.

"G'night, Percy." Estelle whispers to him. Her goodnight kiss is to his earlobe. She slips her thin arms around his neck then presses her cheek against the back of his shoulder after. "I love you."

Percy smiles to her. "Goodnight, Stella." He removes the gun from his lap and pulls her so that he can hug her properly. He rubs the back of her head. "_I love you._ Have sweet dreams, okay?"

He feels her tremble just a little, but her voice contains the bravery that those of most 3 going on 4 year olds don't. "I'll try."

Percy pulls away to look her in the face. "Trying is all that matters. Remember that."

She nods, but doesn't say anything in response.

"Good." He presses a kiss to her forehead, cradling the nape of her neck. "Get some sleep. I'll need your eyes tomorrow as my look out, yeah?"

Her face brightens. "Yeah."

The twenty four year old sucks in a shaky breath as he listens to Estelle sliding into her sleeping bag and drifting off to sleep. Even though he knows it's relatively safe for him to sleep as well, he cradles his gun into his lap once more.

The sound of the safety clicking off does much to reassure him.

_Old habits die hard._

.✧✦✧.

His dreams fail him and Estelle both.

It isn't anything that he hasn't seen before, though. Maybe that's why it haunts him so.

Percy doesn't like thinking back to the day that his life changed forever. The day he was forced to live a nightmare he'd never be able to wake up from. No one does.

But his subconscious clearly had other plans.

The 24 year old sits up, muscles aching, and turns towards the door, caution lacing his heart. The familiar image of his mother staring at him with shocked eyes and ordering him to take Estelle and run fades to the back of his mind, where it will lie in wait until the next night.

Sunlight filters through the cracks of the barred door and between the slats of wood that make up the floors. Every drop of it heralds the inherent danger that awaits him and his sister.

But they can't afford to stay put.

Percy reaches over to shake Estelle awake. She stirs, frowning a bit before she slowly opens her eyes. "Yes?" She murmurs with slight exhaustion.

He forces himself not to laugh at the small puddle of drool that sits on her sleeping bag. "Wake up, Stella. It's time for us to go."

She hums in consent and sits up fully, rubbing her eyes. Her half frown doesn't budge.

Percy rolls up their sleeping bags and withdraws a few granola bars from his bag. "Eat this. You'll feel better."

Estelle gives him a Look before huffing, as if to say "Yeah, right."

"Eat, Stella. You need it."

She eats, but her expression never looses its skepticism. The older of the pair slides his Yankees baseball cap over his thick hair and consumes his breakfast. He arms himself just as Estelle swallows her last bite of food.

"Hair?" She gestures sheepishly at her nearly collapsing ponytail.

Percy grins and beckons her over. The young girl slips her arms through the space between her backpack and the straps before she plants herself in front of her big brother. The 24 year old pulls her dark hair loose before he fixes it. Afterwards, he curls the hair into a bun, fully knowing the heat that's in store for them.

Then, rifle slung over his shoulder and Estelle's hand grasped in his, he unbars the door and steps forward, ready to face the world for what it's become.

_Ready, but unprepared and terrified._

* * *

**A/N: TA-DA!**

**Welcome :) If you don't know me, I go by everyshadedsilver and this is my new story: Seeking Elysium.**

**If you DO know me, welcome back! Expect chapters to be relatively shorter than those of Puzzle Pieces (that's the plan for now. that could also change)**

**Thank you for reading and I can't wait to share this story with you guys!**

**_Next chapter will be out when we get 10 reviews!_**

**I hope you come back :)**

**~ everyshadedsilver**


	2. t r o u b l e

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize :) Enjoy**

* * *

**_~ Seeking Elysium ~_**

* * *

_"now i'm fighting to be the best i can. honey i'm dying, and there's trouble up ahead"_

✦ percy ✦

"Percy?"

He looks through the rear view mirror. His smile is kind. "Yes, Stella?"

Her expression is bright and her posture is easygoing, all despite the fact that they had just run over what looked like a hunting Yellow and the windows are now flecked with black blood. Again, he's amazed at her strength. "Tell me a story, please."

Percy thinks about it for a moment before flicking his gaze back to hers. "Do you want a real one?"

His sister nods. "Yes, a real one."

"About-" He looks back to the road in time to swerve around a pile of dead bodies. He forces himself to keep his cool. "-About who? Who do you want to know about, Stella?"

A shy look passes over her face. Percy watches as she visibly builds up the courage to answer, brick by brick. Her eyes dance between the blood stained windows and the ripped leather seats. "Um..." She bites her lip. "About Momma."

The 24 year old has to fight to keep the steering wheel steady. "Stella..." He forces himself to glance at her. Already, his heart feels as if it's going to sink into the pits of his stomach and disappear in the bile.

Her face is sad. She tilts her head. "Please?"

The truck slows to a stop. Percy turns in his seat to look at his baby sister. She stares back at him with her wide eyes and half hopeful smile and he knows that he doesn't have the conviction to refuse her. He beckons her to the front seat. "Well then, sit up here so you can hear me better, okay?"

Estelle nods and crawls to the front, dragging her things with her. She places it all at her feet and sits crisscross applesauce in the passenger seat. Percy reaches over to grab her seat belt and secures it in place. He accelerates the car.

"Is there anything specific you want to hear about?" He glances at her to see that she's tugging on her ponytail thoughtfully._ Just as his mother used to._ Percy swallows and looks away. This is going to be harder than he imagined.

She shrugs. "Anything. I..." Estelle trails off before she finds her courage again and continues. "I like to hear her stories."

He has to bite his tongue at the sound of that. Percy rubs the top of her head, instead. "I know you do, baby. Well... I'm gonna tell you about the day she opened her candy store, okay?"

It's the grin that she sends him that Percy will always cherish. It's one of the very few things he's truly fighting for. "Okay," she whispers.

And he tells her of the day that Sally Jackson-Blofis opened her candy store. He tells her of the glass cases filled with lollipops and chocolate bars. He tells her of the wall that was entirely decorated with gummy bears. He tells her of Sally's red, white, and blue uniform and her hair ribbons. He tells her of the excitement and the forever sweet aroma and the atmosphere that not even Gabe could destroy on that day.

He tells her and tells her and tells her until she's fast asleep and the only sounds that reach his ears are her snores and the crunching of brittle bones underneath the truck tires.

Until he's all alone to his thoughts and his eyes are stinging with tears.

Percy shakes the image of his mother's face from his mind and sighs, forcing himself to focus on the _other_ problems he has. He's been driving for hours, but even so, he has no idea where he is or where he's going. Last time he checked, he had driven them close to the Virginia state line, but he isn't sure if he's crossed the border already.

The 24 year old leans forward to glance at the sun that hangs in the sky. If there's one good thing that has come as a result of the Outbreak, it's his newfound skill to tell time.

Back when phones weren't a distant memory and digital clocks were common, he obviously wouldn't have needed such a skill.

But it isn't like that anymore. Civilization- or whatever's left of it- has crumbled and scattered along with the bodies that litter the streets. He hasn't come across another human since Pennsylvania. Electricity and wifi might as well be urban legends.

So the sun is his only guide.

He mutters a curse under his breath, still checking to make sure that his sister is still asleep (she shouldn't be hearing such language after all), and leans back into his seat. It's almost 5 o clock, meaning the sun will set soon.

Meaning he has to find them a place to stay for the night.

He slows the car to a stop and reaches into Estelle's backpack to pull out the map. Back when the world had first gone to shit and nobody knew how to handle it, there were riots and uprisings and several gangs somehow managed to take control of whole cities. Percy had managed to get his hands on a map of the East Coast and had circled the cities that he knew were dangerous.

And Richmond, Virginia was one of them.

But a quick glance at the highway sign tells him he's closer to Fredericksburg, which eases his heart only a little. Who knows what could have happened in a city so close to Richmond after the broadcasts stopped?

_But they need a place to spend the night._

So he slowly eases off the highway, dodging corpses wherever he can and wincing when he's forced to drive over one.

The sun is halfway to setting when he pulls the key from the ignition in a backwoods area. He doesn't necessarily like the seclusion, but he's seen first hand in New York what happens when a group of Remainders find a working car with gas.

And he has no plans of letting that happen to Estelle.

Percy unbuckles his seat belt and reaches over to shake his sister awake. "Stella," he whispers. She stirs. "Hey, hey. C'mon, girl, you gotta get up."

She wakes up without complain, stretching a little and yawning. Percy exits the truck and rounds to her side to help her out. Estelle slips into her backpack straps and nearly crawls into his arms, curling against his side and nuzzling her face into his neck.

After another glance at the sinking sun and a quick check to make sure his safety is clicked on and his knives are intact, the 24 year old slings his backpack over his other shoulder and cradles his baby sister to his chest.

But every step he takes towards burned civilization does nothing to shake the growing fear in his gut. Whether he encounters the Infected or the Remainders of the crumpled city, he has enough reason to fear both.

_And as always, it's not only his life that's at stake._

.✧✦✧.

He's more suspicious than surprised when he sees that the streets are barren.

From his side, Estelle grips his hand a bit tighter. She whispers loud enough for him to hear, "Where's the people?"

Percy squeezes her hand with what he hopes she'll detect to be reassurance, but apprehension still pumps along with his blood. "I don't know, Stella." He keeps his voice low as he scans their surroundings warily. "Until we find a place to stay, try not to make any noise, alright?"

She nods, proving his point. He _has_ to smile at that.

The pair of siblings carry on for several more minutes, ducking behind cars reeking of death with cracked windshields and generally attempting to stay in the shadows. Every so often they come across a decapitated head or a mangled body crunched into the road, and Estelle averts her gaze with a gasp and Percy feels another burst of guilt in his chest.

The sky is nearly red and still darkening as they approach an abandoned shopping center. A large crimson sign reading _CENTRAL PARK_ flickers on and off to his right. Past it, he can see a plethora of dilapidated restaurants and grocery stores that are undoubtedly ransacked and empty. On the other side of the road is a similar sign, not as large or hued, though. It reads _SPOTSYLVANIA TOWNE CENTRE._ And past it, the 24 year sees a shopping mall with broken windows and a boarded up Costco.

Estelle tugs on his sleeve. He looks down at her, questions expanding over his facial features. The little girl points in the direction of the shopping mall.

No, she points _past_ it.

He sees it now, and relief floods his chest. It's a hotel.

_A place to stay._

Percy squeezes her hand and kisses the top of her head. "Good job, Stella," he whispers into her hair.

She smiles in response.

They creep towards the hotel. The sign is faded and several windows are broken and none of that does anything to reassure him, but the 24 year old hates being out in the open like this so he'll take what he can get.

_Remainders can't afford to be choosers._

Then he hears a scuffle and the crunching of bones. Percy's chest constricts as he freezes, gripping Estelle's hand. He quickly scans their surroundings, caution and apprehension rattling his breaths as he tries to locate the potential threat. The little girl beside him does her best to remain brave, but he knows it won't be too long before she cracks.

And he can't let that happen.

The 24 year old peers through the car windows and underneath the trucks that dapple the scene around them. Most of them are stuffed with dead bodies, if not completely stained black and red from obvious Infected attacks. He swallows and clicks the safety off his gun.

He tries to think of a plan. The sun is almost completely past the horizon. _He can't leave Estelle_. He has no idea what caused the sound- whether a Remainder or an Infect. _He can't leave Estelle._ That is the only constant to his scattered thoughts. Percy inwardly slaps himself. He has to _focus_, or this might as well be the night that he dies.

He takes a cautious few steps forward, and Stella is practically glued to his side. His green eyes sweep their surroundings again as he slowly approaches the broken in doors of the hotel.

_And he almost sees the Remainder too late._

Estelle huffs as she scrambles away and Percy reflexively pushes her behind him. His rifle is at the ready before he can blink, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he stares at the threat.

"Please. _Help me_." The Remainder says. From the looks of it, he can't be older than 19. He shuffles towards Percy, who takes a step back and lifts his gun higher. The Remainder stops, his eyes crossing at the barrel of the rifle.

The 24 year old swallows, his gaze flickering to the gruesome bite that's taken a chunk from the Remainder's side. Blood and tissue gushes from the wound, staining the asphalt. _How is he still standing?_

"Please, you _have_ to help me." The Remainder begs. His face is ashen, but already Percy can see the reddish tint in his eyes. "My- my name is Jackson. Jackson Streeter." His hair is stained with blood, grime, and sweat and plasters to his forehead. Jackson stumbles, crying out.

Percy kicks his arm. "_Shut up,_" he hisses. His eyes quickly scan their surroundings again. He glances down at Jackson, who's curled into a fetal position. "Who are you with?"

Jackson presses his cheek into the asphalt. "I..." He swallows. "I don't have anyone. My group ditch... my group _ditched me_ after... after I got- bit." He struggles to string a sentence together. Percy watches as Jackson presses a hand against his wound. "Please don't leave me here," he begs again.

The 24 year old throws a look over his shoulder. Guilt flutters in his gut when he sees that Estelle's focus is directly on Jackson's bite. "Stella," he calls to her. It takes her several moments to tear her gaze away. Her lower lip quivers. Percy feels his expression soften. "Look away, okay? I need you to keep watch."

The little girl nods and looks away, tugging on her backpack straps. Percy turns back to the Remainder in front of him.

Jackson groans, tears streaming down his dirty face as he speaks again. "Don't leave me here_, please. _I-I'm_ begging_ you." He sniffs and moves his hand from his wound to brush his hair from his face. "They're gonna come back. I don't wanna be here when they come back." His words grow frantic.

Percy kneels beside him. "What the _hell_ are you talking about? Who's gonna come back?" He presses the barrel of his gun against Jackson's shoulder, poking him to emphasize his words. "You _said_ your group ditched you."

Jackson has to catch his breath. "_They did._" He swallows and groans again, rolling slowly onto his back. "I'm not... not _talking_\- about my group."

Hearing that sends fear curling around the adrenaline that runs through Percy's veins. He swallows, hoping that he's wrong. "Then who's gonna come back, Jackson?"

The 19 year old gives him a Look despite being in pain. "What- _what else,_ Dumbass?"

Percy digs his gun into Jackson's shoulder. "Mind your language and answer the question."

Jackson cries out in pain, more tears slipping from his eyes. "The- the _Walkers! That's who's gonna come back!_"

Walkers. The Infected. Different names for the same poison.

_And there's only one poison that comes back to the same hunting ground._

The 24 year old bites back a curse as he rakes a hand through his hair. _He needs to get Estelle to safety now._ Percy glances at the young man lying in front of him. "How do you know they're gonna come back?"

Jackson coughs, crimson dribbling to his chin. "I saw... I saw it with my _own_ eyes, man." He swallows and groans before continuing. "They come back here every 3 days. I don't... don't know why. I don't- know _how,_ but they _do._"

Percy chuckles without humor. "These are _Greys_ we're talking about, Jackson. The reason why is because they _feel like it._" He stands up, dragging his hands through his hair. _Fuck._ "What time do they come back? Greys always come back at the same time."

Jackson has to think about it. Pain expands in his eyes when he answers. "It's always bet- between 6 and 6:15." He coughs up more blood.

The 24 year old turns to check the sky. It's almost dark now. _It's almost 6. _

"P-Percy?" Estelle's voice comes back to him.

He spins around and drops into a crouch. "What is it, Stella?" He turns just in time for her to collide into his chest, gripping his shirt. _She's shaking._ "Stella, what is it? You have to tell me."

The little girl turns and points in the direction that he's facing. Percy follows her line of sight. And an indescribable wave of fear expands in his chest when he sees two silhouettes running towards them on the horizon. _Greys._

Percy kneels beside Jackson. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

The 19 year old opens his mouth to speak, but Percy's already pulling out his knife. It isn't long before Jackson's dead.

He stands, raking another hand through his hair as he tries to take control of his panic. "Stella," he calls for her.

She almost runs to him, tears swimming in her eyes. The 24 year old grips her shoulders and stares her in the eyes. _He can't leave her. He needs to get her to safety now._ "Listen to me, Stella. I want you to climb, okay? Don't come down until I say so. Go as high as you can and _stay _there, okay?"

Estelle nods through her tears. "But what if _they_ climb?"

Percy hugs her as tight as he can. "I won't let them get _near_ you. _I_ _promise._" Then he stands and nudges her in the direction of the tree. "I love you. Stay hidden. _Go._"

The younger of the two runs towards the tree and begins to do what she does best- _climb._ The 24 year old turns towards danger's direction, drawing his knife and dagger and praying that he'll be able to fulfill his promise.

The Greys are much closer than he would have expected. Already, he can decipher the desire for blood and death that lingers over their slate faces as they run rhythmically towards him. Their footfalls and Estelle's attempts at keeping her sniffles quiet are the only sounds that reach his ears.

Well, that and the sounds of crunching bones and rotten flesh as the Greys run over the multiple dead bodies that litter the scene.

He swallows and grips his knife, waiting for them to approach before striking. Percy slashes his knife at the first one's cheek, momentarily distracting it. He takes he opportunity to sink his dagger into the back of the Grey that had run right past him. It cries out with annoyance as it stops running towards the tree that Estelle is hiding in and turns to retaliate.

The 24 year old aimlessly slashes and stabs at the area of their necks, tears stinging his eyes. The Greys fight back, grabbing at his wrists and his own neck. He kicks one away and strikes the other with the butt of his palm. Both Infects are stunned for a second, and he takes that as an opening to draw them away from Stella's tree. He fires 3 rounds into each of their chests, determined to anger them.

They take the bait, following him farther and farther away from the tree and the hotel entrance. Percy backs away, wiping his mouth with his shoulder. The Greys amble towards him, suspicion flickering across their faces.

And for a second, the 24 year old dares to have hope in a situation that screams of death. But it only lasts for a second.

Time seemingly slows as he trips over his feet. Percy feels his eyes widen as he stumbles backwards, fingers accidentally squeezing the trigger. His head hits a rock and his vision goes hazy. His rifle clatters to the ground.

_No. No, please no._

The Infected loom over him, their grey eyes glazing over his neck in greed. One of them kicks his gun away, malice growing over it's facial features. Percy tries his hardest to see straight, but the thumping at the back of his head tells him he won't be able to fight well for the rest of this uphill battle.

He remains armed, though, prepared to fight to the death if it means buying Estelle a few more seconds or moments of safety. The 24 year old clenches his knife and his dagger and waits for them to draw near enough to stab.

But the moment never comes.

Instead, there's a flash of honey blonde and blood stained clothes and the Greys aren't hovering over him anymore. Percy scrambles to sit up, blinking as hard as he can.

_It's a Remainder._ In one hand, she carries a machete and in the other is a spiked baseball bat.

She raises the hand with the machete and slices one of the Greys's heads clean off. But the other wastes no time in sinking its teeth in her shoulder. Then Percy hears a scream. It might have been his. It might have been Estelle's. But it probably bubbled from the blonde girl's chest.

The Remainder grits her teeth and kicks the body away before focusing her attention on the Grey that had just bitten her. She turns towards it, tilting her head, before driving her machete into its throat.

The Grey stumbles and Percy watches, stunned, as she stabs it to death.

Afterwards, the Remainder stands with black blood freckled across her face, hands, and arms. She gives Percy an empty look and mutters, "Your little girl is safe."

Then her eyes roll up in her head and she crumples to the ground.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! And thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter :) Y'all are amazing.**

**_Next chapter will be out when we get ten more reviews!_**

**~ everyshadedsilver**


	3. c h a i n e d

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize :) Enjoy**

* * *

**_~ Seeking Elysium ~_**

* * *

_Full summary: _

The zombie apocalypse used to be just a concept- fuel for movies and video games. Until the Outbreak.

Now, with mindless killers at every turn and hope fading to black, Percy just wants to survive long enough to find a place to call home.

And even when the world is burning at the hands of the Infected, Annabeth has known Hell on Earth all her life. Now that she's been given a second chance, all she wants is to survive until she can find her own Elysium.

But like everything in this world, some things are just not what they seem. With the world crumbling to ashes around them, can these survivors grasp their dreams before they disappear in the smoke?

* * *

_"behind locked doors is where we stay, chained and captive keep the worst away"_

✧ annabeth ✧

_Annabeth is surprised when she wakes up._

In all honesty, she hadn't been expecting to survive the night. Her dreams are filled with familiar images of needles and screams, so she's assumed that her life has flashed before her eyes.

But she's come to learn ever since the Outbreak that every day she lives and survives is a gift. And she'll always treat it as such. So she easily shoves her shock to the back of her heart. The first sense that comes back to her is her sense of smell. The air reeks of coppery blood and mothballs. Next comes her vision, which slowly blurs into focus as she blinks repeatedly.

The blonde's throat is sore and dry as she tries to sit up. A flare of pain explodes in her sides and on her shoulder. She hisses as she slumps against the pillows. A quick glance down at herself shows her the disappearance of her pants and shirt. _Where is she?_

"You'll hurt yourself if you move too quickly." A low voice sounds from the corner of the room. Annabeth follows the sound and sees a young man with black hair and tanned skin sitting on one of the couches. He balances his rifle over his shoulder with nonchalance. "You should know that."

She recognizes him instantly. He's the one that she saved. Annabeth forces herself to sit up, just to make a point. "I'm fine," she mutters through gritted teeth.

The young man chuckles lowly before standing. He walks over to the edge of the bed and sits. Annabeth quickly takes notice of the rather large space that he leaves between them. She's grateful for it.

He nods and hands her a bottle of water. "Now that you're awake, I'd like to thank you." He sighs and rubs the back of his neck, as if a dark thought had crossed his mind. "You saved my life." He gestures to the little girl sleeping on the other bed, fervor growing in his expression. "You saved _Stella's _life. Words can't express how grateful I am for that."

The blonde shrugs after taking a long drink, although a bit sheepish. "I did what I had to."

He exhales a little. "How did you find us?"

Annabeth stares at him. "The gunshots. I heard them from the main road and assumed that the gang had come back."

His black hair falls over his face before he pushes it away. "So there _was _a gang here." A look passes over his face, as if he's cursing himself. He then eyes her up and down. "You from around here?"

It doesn't take much for her to lie, but she still doesn't like how easily it comes to her. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm Annabeth, by the way." The blonde holds out a feeble hand.

He stares at it before gripping it firmly and staring into her eyes. "Percy." He then drops her hand and looks away, his expression flat. "Are you traveling alone?"

She sips some more water, the truth flowing past her lips before she can stop herself. "Yes. I'm traveling alone."

Thin silence grows between them for a few moments before she forces herself to speak. Annabeth takes another drink of water and gestures towards him. "What about you? Are you two from around here?"

Percy shakes his head. "No. We're from New York. We were just passing through, trying to find a place to spend the night." He sighs heavily before continuing. "We found this hotel... but the Remainder outside the front entrance distracted us from getting inside in time and well..." Percy glances at her bandaged shoulder. "You know the rest."

She finds herself peering at his face longer than she likes. Annabeth moves to get out of the bed, somehow managing to set her feet on the floor. "Thank you," she tosses out over her shoulder. Pained soreness flares and throbs under every inch of her skin, but she's determined not to let it show.

_She has to get out of here._

His eyebrows crinkle. "For what?"

Annabeth hides a thin smile before a wince overtakes it as she pulls on her onyx stained jeans. "I would've bled out in the street if it weren't for you."

It's his turn to shrug. "I did what I had to do." Then a pause. "Annabeth-"

The tone of his voice tells her all she needs to know of what's going to happen next. But she manages to feign ignorance anyways. Her eyes scan the room for her shirt before she turns to him. "What?"

Percy folds his arms over his chest. His tousled hair is thick and rather long, falling past the nape of his neck and his eyes. "You're immune, aren't you?" The young man doesn't even try to hide the suspicion from his words.

She can't keep the grimace from splitting her lips. "And what told you that?"

He stares at her. "When I was treating your shoulder wound. I saw the scars on your sides." His head tilts, then. "That's why I bandaged you instead of cutting off your head."

She remains silent at that and continues looking for her shirt.

"I threw it away." Percy suddenly says after a few more moments of silence.

Annabeth cuts him a glance. "What?"

He leans back on the bed, narrowing his eyes at her. "Your shirt. That's what you're looking for, right?"

She nods.

His shoulders shrug as best as they can. "I threw it out. I had to cut it off to get to your wound and it was infected with their blood anyways."

The blonde folds her arms over her chest. "Well then what am I supposed to wear?"

Percy doesn't respond as he stands and heads over to the couch he had been sitting on when she first opened her eyes. She watches, a bit annoyed, as he rummages through his bag and pulls out a simple faded green t shirt. Then he walks back to her bed and tosses it at her while taking a seat.

Her arms are sore as she catches it midair. Annabeth stares down at the fabric before looking at him. "I can't accept this."

_She has to get out of here now._

The young man in front of her tilts his head a little. "So you plan on going back out there without a shirt?" His eyebrow cocks. "That's a dumbass move. Any Yellows and Greys in the area would sniff you out before you made it back to the main road."

Annabeth scowls despite the fact that she knows he's right. "I have my own clothes."

"Where are they?"

She sighs. "Where I left them at the Central Park sign." With another sigh, this one internal, the blonde slips the shirt on. It smells faintly of sea salt and sweat. She bites her tongue to keep from grimacing as her shoulders flex and un-flex with pain, quickly slipping her arms through the holes. The fabric hangs down past her butt, so she ties it off at her waist as best as she can. "There," she gives Percy a look. "Is that better?"

He shrugs and stands. "You tell me."

Annabeth ignores that and searches for her boots. While doing so, a crucial question flashes across her mind. She straightens and turns to Percy, who's stroking the little girl's hair. "What time is it?"

Percy heads over to the window and peeks around the curtains, staring at the sky for a few moments before answering. "I would say around 3 AM. Just a few hours before sunrise."

A sigh of relief breaks through her lips. _She still has time._ "So I only slept through the night?"

He chuckles thinly and reaches for his rifle, balancing it across his broad shoulders once again. "No. You slept through all of yesterday, actually."

The blonde freezes, her blood running cold. "What?"

_No, no, no._

Percy gives her a look. "Yeah, you did. You lost a lot of blood, Annabeth. Between your shoulder bite and that other bandaged wound you have on your calf- I was surprised you could _stand_ let alone fight as well as you did."

She sinks onto the bed, her fingers tapping her knees as she tries to come to terms with the situation she's been given. Annabeth glances at him. "Were you holed up in here all day yesterday, then?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"Why?"

The young man rests his gun on the couch and folds his arms over his chest. "It's not like I had much of a choice." He glances at the little girl before continuing. "I wouldn't leave Stella with you defenseless and I couldn't leave you here alone."

"Why not?" A small sliver of suspicion coils around her words.

He looks like he's forcing back a scoff. "What good would your saving my life do if I just left you here?" Percy looks away and leans against the wall, his eyes fluttering closed.

Annabeth spots her machete through the corner of her eye and reaches for it. Maybe she wants to make a point. "Why do you trust me so much?"

His tone is flat and his eyes remain closed. "I don't." Then his jaw ticks.

The blonde can't take offense to that. She feels the same, after all. Their conversation halts a bit as she begins cleaning off her machete. She heads towards the closet and pulls out a blanket, shaking the dust out before dragging the thin fabric over the sullied edge of her weapon.

_You need to get out of here,_ Annabeth reminds herself as she practically hobbles back to her bed.

Minutes pass and the abrupt sound of Percy's voice causes her fingers to stop what they're doing. "Where were you headed?"

She looks up from her work to see him staring at her. "What?" Her words a bit more coarse than she'd like, but it's too late to take them back and she isn't one to repeat herself.

"When you heard the gunshots," he clarifies. The young man runs a hand through his black hair. "Where were you headed?"

Maybe it's the look on his face. Maybe it's because they saved each other's lives. Or maybe it's simply because she's recently gotten into the pattern of ignoring her conscience.

Whatever the reason may be, Annabeth finds herself yearning to tell him the truth. "I was just passing through."

Percy frowns. "At sundown?"

She nods and continues cleaning off her machete. "This city is a ghost town, Percy. After Richmond fell, most of the citizens evacuated pretty early on. The ones that didn't make it out in time were either killed off by the gang, or killed by the Infected. The ones who turned left the city due to lack of meat." She rubs at a spot that won't get clean before glancing back up at him. "Traveling at sundown would be safe due to lack of the Infected."

His face remains slate as he stares at her. "You said you weren't from around here."

She slips back into another lie with an ease that partly scares her. "I'm not." She rubs at her machete again. "I've been on the road for a long time, and this isn't my first time being here." Annabeth glances at him. "I meant what I said. Traveling at or after sundown around here hasn't proved to be much of a risk."

He folds his arms over his chest. "The Remainder outside told me that those Greys you killed usually come back here every three days at sundown."

Annabeth tries not to scoff as she turns her machete to the other side. "As you witnessed, I can handle Greys just fine. And the ones that I killed outside weren't Greys. They were Climbers."

"You say that as if Climbers aren't worse." The sound of Percy taking a seat reaches her ears at the same time that his question does. "I know that at least _one_ of them was... but how can you tell?"

She looks at him again, and notices the definite interest that's overtaken his face. The blonde takes note of the fact that it's the first time she's seeing any expression on him other than stale nonchalance and dry humor. "Truth be told, I wouldn't have known if I hadn't seen the wounds in their chests. You were trying to draw them away from the tree, right?" She angles her weapon at the sleeping little girl. "Away from her?"

He nods slowly. "Yeah, I was."

Annabeth nods as well and turns back to her work.

More minutes pass under silence. The air isn't uncomfortable, but it's thick with an unspoken tension that neither of them are willing to address. Annabeth tries her hardest to take her mind off the fact that she's running out of time.

She then realizes that she'd never fully answered his question. It's not that he truly deserves an honest answer to begin with, but after one glance at the little girl cradled under thin sheets, she knows it's something she has to share. The blonde finishes cleaning off her weapon and turns to him. "I was on my way to the hospital. I was running low on medical supplies."

Percy's eyebrows lift. "Is it around here?"

She nods and winces at her shoulder wound flares with a bit more pain. "It's about 6 to 7 miles south. But I don't know if it's still as well stocked as it was when I last passed through here."

He exhales a little. "Would you take us there? You know this city better than I do."

Annabeth stands with a bit of tremor in her legs and slips her machete into its sheath at her waist. "There's 3 hospitals in the area. The second is a little farther than the first, about 10 miles west. But the third is even farther. It's a 40 minute drive."

Percy stares at her blankly. "That won't be a problem."

The blonde bites back a tiny smile and nods instead. Her blonde hair tickles her neck. _She needs to wash it._ "Then I'll lead you two there. When should we leave?"

He eyes her up and down with a certain look on his face, as if he's studying her past movements. "How much time do you have?" His gaze flickers to the curtains that are pulled closed.

Annabeth sinks onto her bed, her eyebrows pinching as her walls inch just a little bit higher. "What are you-"

The young man across the room chuckles lowly again, this time with less humor, and kicks up his feet on the dusty coffee table. The 22 year old doesn't fail to notice the fact that his posture is still tense, as if he's waiting for an attack. Percy gives her another one of his looks. "When you freaked out over how much time had passed. I'm guessing it has something to do with your leg wound, right?"

Her words are icy. "That's none of your business." She tears her gaze away from his and stares at the door, feeling her heart thump against her rib cage as her breaths uneven themselves.

Judging from his tone, he isn't affected in the slightest. "Fair enough." Then a pause. "Let's leave in a few hours, at first light."

That has Annabeth spinning around in her position until her shoulders ache. "No. That's too late."

_She has to get out of here._

Percy frowns and sets his feet on the floor, his expression hardening to the mask of guarded nonchalance he usually wears. "Stella's terrified of the dark, and the shit that went down outside of this hotel was traumatizing enough. I won't make her travel after sundown." Then his head cocks and his words send chills coiling around her skin. "If you want to travel by yourself, injured, be my guest. But I'm not leaving this room until the sun rises."

The blonde scowls. "You need me."

The once over he gives her is enough to make her skin heat. "Not that much." His words are blank.

Annabeth then glances at the little girl curled up on the bed next to hers, _Stella_. Her snores are barely audible, but they're there. And in a moment of clarity, that's enough for her. She then turns to stare at the ceiling.

_Is she really willing to make this little girl's life harder for the sake of her pride?_

The answer comes to her faster than her next breath. _No, she isn't._

After a long pause spent recollecting her quiet sighs, the blonde turns to the young man sitting on the couch in the corner. Her gaze falls to the rifle cradled in his lap. "Fine. We'll leave at first light."

He nods blankly, but even from far away she thinks she can see a flicker of appreciation dance over his face. But only for a moment, though.

.✦✧✦.

First light comes sooner than Annabeth expects.

Somehow, she had fallen back asleep. Maybe it's due to her body being accustomed to going to sleep around sunrise. Her shoulders throb as she sits up. Pale sunlight filters through the thin curtains that shield them from the horrors of the outside world. Every drop of it only heightens her nerves.

_She hates traveling during the day._

Annabeth yawns quietly as she watches Percy lean over the bed against the wall. He's gently shaking Stella awake. "Hey, Stella," he whispers. "You have to get up."

For some reason, the blonde feels as if she's intruding on a private moment. She looks away and studies the light orange walls instead. The sound of the little girl waking up and rising out of bed reaches her ears. Stella makes a few indiscernible noises, but Annabeth can hear her muttering out a soft "Good morning," loud and clear.

The blonde stands gently, hiding her grimace from Percy's line of sight, and pokers her expression before turning around. She leans against the wall on her good shoulder.

Percy quickly fixes the little girl's hair after handing her a few granola bars. "Eat up, Stella. We have a big day, yeah?"

Stella nods and finishes her breakfast.

Annabeth stands straighter when they make their way over after gathering their things. Then, Percy stops right in front of her and crouches down next to the little girl. She notices that he has a genuine smile on his face.

"Stella, this is Annabeth," he whispers to her. "She's the one who saved us." He then rubs her mahogany brown hair. "She's also agreed to take us to the hospitals around here, okay?"

The blonde tries to keep her insides from collapsing as Stella, who can't be older than 4, glances up at her shyly. The little girl's eyes are large and blue, with a tiny smile to match. "Thank you, Annabeth." Then, to her surprise, she sticks a hand out with a flair of brevity that most likely embodies every inch of her soul. "My name is Stella."

If she weren't so injured, Annabeth would've crouched in front of the little girl herself. But her calf throbs with each passing second and her shoulder twitches in pain when it feels like it, so she settles for shaking Stella's hand instead. The blonde smiles down at her, unable to keep the grin from tugging on the corners of her lips as she nods. "It's amazing to meet you, Stella."

Then, Percy stands from his crouch on the floor and tugs on a Yankee baseball cap. His expression sobers and from the shade that his visor casts over his face, Annabeth can see that his eyes are green. Unapologetically and verdantly sea green. He grips his backpack strap that's slung over his shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"

The 22 year old nods, feeling her hair tickle her neck yet again. "Yeah. Let's go."

He nods in response, and Annabeth leads the way. She opens the door with caution pressing on her lungs and her fingers gripping the base of her barbed baseball bat. As she glances into the empty hallway and beckons the two Remainders behind her forward, she finds herself hoping.

_Hoping and praying that she isn't too late._

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! ****And _wow_, you guys literally got 10 reviews for chapter 2 before the first 24 hours was up! That's actually amazing, thank you guys :)**

**I also have a question for those interested: **

**What type of weapon would you carry during the zombie apocolypse? Guns**** or sharp weapons like knives and machetes?****Let me know in the reviews!**

_**Next chapter will be out when we get **__**12 more reviews!**_

**~ everyshadedsilver**


	4. f i g h t

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize :) Enjoy**

* * *

**_~ Seeking Elysium ~_**

* * *

_"i want to fight it, to be the best i can"_

✦ percy ✦

Percy doesn't know what to think.

Or how to feel.

The 24 year old grips Estelle's hand just a little tighter as they warily make their way through the abandoned hotel's parking lot. Although it shouldn't, his gaze keeps falling to Annabeth, who's moving silently a few steps ahead.

Or rather, it keeps falling to the back of her head.

Another wave of distrust floods his chest as he studies her wavy shoulder length hair and the bloodstained baseball bat gripped between her fingers. It's stained black _and_ red.

Of course, he can't hold _that_ against her. He knows the world that they live in now.

But there's still something off about her.

And if he's learned one thing since the Outbreak, it's to trust his gut.

_Focus, Percy._ He curses himself as he drags his gaze away from the blonde in front of him and turns to peer at the half rusted, half broken cars that they pass by. A part of him is still waiting for another wounded Remainder to crawl out from behind one of them like Jackson did.

To collapse on the ground with their organs half spilling out, begging for assistance like Jackson did.

To die like Jackson did.

Percy bites the inside of his cheek and forces his thoughts to focus on something else. _Jackson was already halfway to turning._ He had done him a _favor_.

...Right?

_Or is he just thinking that to make himself feel better? _The 24 year old doesn't want to know.

The next few minutes are spent in silence before they finally reach the main road. Now that the sky is light and the sun is out, Percy can properly see the disarray that's overtaken the city. It's pitiful to look at.

Trash is strewn all over the place, fluttering in the dirty wind; the only solid remnant of the humans that had once lived there. A few power lines are completely toppled, small flickers of electricity still sparking and crackling every now and then over the wood.

Percy's gait slows just a little as he takes in the mess that so vividly represents the rest of the broken country, but manages to push on.

_One would think that he'd be used to sights like this after 7 months on the road._

Annabeth heads straight to the large Central Park sign, where he can see a black backpack and an equally dark duffel bag propped up against the base. A light scoff bubbles past his lips as he watches her drop her weapons and move to sling the bags over her shoulder.

_Her bad shoulder._

"You're kidding," he mutters to himself. Estelle merely looks on in slight confusion. Percy strides over to the blonde, his mouth opening to speak. "What do you think you're doing?" He stops right behind her.

Annabeth slowly turns, attempting to hide the grimace that's obviously a product of her pain but fails while doing so. Her harsh grey eyes flicker up to his face. "What are you talking about?" Her words are clipped and short and a little gruff, nothing out of the ordinary.

Percy stares down at her for a few moments before shaking his head. He gestures to her hand gripping the handles of both bags. "_That._"

The blonde rolls her eyes and huffs. "I'm fine, Percy."

"I don't see why you're lying," is his response. The 24 year old narrows his eyes at her. "Your shoulder is far from healed."

Annabeth gives him another one of her looks. This time it's the dangerous one that makes him question her trustworthiness. The one that tells him she's analyzing the best way to take him down in a fight and leave him for dead. "It's none of your business."

Percy exhales heavily before giving her a blank look. "I fought hard for those bandages you're wearing. Making sure that they're used to their fullest capacity is completely my business."

The blonde sighs and the dangerous glint in her eyes disappears. "_Fine._" Then, with a low grunt, she transfers the bag handles to her opposite hand. "Is that better?"

The 24 year old stares at her with a pokered expression. "So you're gonna swing that baseball bat of yours with a bad shoulder?" He couldn't have held back the snort even if he tried. "Do you need help?"

She tilts her head, eyes narrowing and frown appearing. "No."

He shrugs, balancing his rifle over his shoulder while absentmindedly rubbing the top of Estelle's head. "It's your funeral, then." Percy turns and mutters under his breath. "Well, it's your _shoulder__'s_."

If Annabeth hears his latter comment, she doesn't let it show. "We need to keep moving. Does your car have gas?"

He glances over at her before shaking his head. "About a half tank left, from what I remember. You?"

"Three quarters full. I guess we'll have to take my Jeep," she huffs. "Let's go, we're wasting daylight."

.✧✦✧.

Silence has never been so uncomfortable.

Percy fails to unclench his jaw throughout the entire drive, his fingers curling tensely over the steering wheel. His gaze darts back and forth between the abandoned cars that line the back roads to the half grown trees bursting from dense soil.

They've been driving for 20 minutes, picking off any of the Infected that's in their path and trying to swerve the dead bodies that pile into the street. The blonde beside him says that they still have over 5 miles left to go. His foot presses down on the accelerator, quickening the speed of the vehicle.

Fresh supplies are so close. Only a few more miles left to go. _Only a few more mi-_

"Slow down," Annabeth's voice pulls his attention away from the blur of green and rust. "You're burning gas."

That lifts his eyebrows. "You're the one that's in a hurry." He glances over to see her grey eyes fixated on him.

Annabeth shakes her head before turning back towards the windshield. "Getting there on time won't mean anything if there isn't enough gas to get out."

_She's_ _right_, he realizes. So the twenty four year old eases off the accelerator, albeit begrudgingly. The next few minutes contain only Estelle's airy breaths, Annabeth's occasional huff, and his own tense intakes of air.

"Can you stop doing that?"

The blonde turns sharply. "What are you talking about?"

Percy glances over at her again before focusing on the road again, his jaw tensing a bit tighter. "Your leg. Stop pumping it like that."

He can _feel_ her scowl. "What, is it a crime now?" Her chin tugs upwards in a challenging manner. Through the corner of his eye, he sees that she begins to pump her leg a bit faster.

The 24 year old resists the urge to scoff. "It's distracting."

"If a moving leg is a distraction to you, I think you have bigger problems to worry about." The blonde tuts, her wavy hair swishing around her neck.

Behind the both of them, Estelle giggles into her hand.

Percy's eyes snap up to the rear view mirror, the essence of faux betrayal prickling his skin. "Is this _funny_ to you, Stella?"

Her baby blue irises dance as she nods and grins, her teeth biting her lip. His little sister manages to breath out a quick, "Yes," before dissolving into giggles again.

He can't keep from smiling at the sound and sight of her happiness. Percy settles for shaking his head. "The betrayal is real. You're supposed to be on _my_ side, girl."

"Well clearly being on your side is overrated." Annabeth rolls her eyes before wincing as she readjusts herself in her seat.

The 24 year old cuts her a glance but doesn't respond. A quick thought scatters across the forefront of his mind but he manages to keep it at bay, deciding that burning his bridges so soon isn't worth the risk.

Before long, Estelle's quiet laughter softens into silence and the air inside the Jeep is again sunken into tension. Percy keeps an eye out for straggling Infects.

The more he can kill, the better. _The more he kills, the less they kill or turn.  
_

They drive only a few miles before a limping silhouette looms into view, off in the distance. A quick study of its gait tells him that it's a lone Yellow. He eases on the brakes and reaches for his seatbelt, prepared to exit the car and do what needs to be done.

But then Annabeth's hand comes to a rest on the steering wheel. He looks over to see those thunder tainted irises of hers piercing into his own. The blonde shakes her head. "I'll do it."

He doesn't mean to, but his gaze falls to her bandaged shoulder.

And she doesn't fail to notice. "I'm not helpless," she scowls. "Stay here. I need to pull my weight."

The way she says that last phrase, that she _needs_ to pull her weight raises more questions than he'd like. But before the twenty four year old can finish debating on whether or not he should ask, she's already clambering out of the car and sliding her machete from its sheath.

So he watches, tense, as she approaches the Infect.

He's expecting to see her slice off its head in under 3 seconds and head back into the car as if nothing had happened. But that isn't the case.

At first, nothing happens. _She just stands there._

Percy glances at the sky for a moment before focusing his attention back on her, slight impatience lacing his chest. He huffs under his breath, "_What the hell is she_ _doing?_"

Then, Annabeth lifts a hand. The twenty four year old watches, confused, as she drags her hand around the Infect's face and tilts her head in the same direction. Her hand sings though the air, her fingers fluttering and her neck craning.

And the Infect just stands there. It doesn't attack, it doesn't even _move_. It just stands there, its head following the movements of her hand. Then, Annabeth lifts her machete and presses the flat against its face. Even still, the Infect doesn't move away.

"What..." Percy breathes out, distrust overflowing his veins as he takes in the scene in front of him. "What is happening?" He glances through the rear view mirror again to see Estelle watching too, the same genre of confusion branding her youthful features.

When he turns his attention back to Annabeth, she's dragging the machete down the Infect's face. Then, with the speed of a viper, the blonde digs the blade into its throat to the hilt.

The Infect springs into action but it's too late.

She raises her good leg and kicks it away, its head flying off towards her. Annabeth narrowly dodges it and slides her machete back into the sheath. The Yellow's body crumples to the ground and even from his position in the car, Percy can see the small pool of black blood steadily spreading against the withered asphalt.

"Don't get in the car until you wipe off," he says as soon as the passenger door opens. He keeps his gaze focused on the fallen Infect just a few feet in front of the car.

"Do you have any wipes?" Is her cool toned response.

"Stella." He calls over his shoulder before dragging his gaze away from the collapsed body and turning towards his little sister. "Wipes, please."

The almost 4 year old nods and digs into her backpack. She hands Percy the packet of wipes, who in turn tosses it to the blonde. Annabeth catches it with her good hand and begins wiping the stained blood droplets from her forearms, hands, and neck. Percy can't bring himself to look at her for more than few seconds.

Suspicion and distrust fizzles in his blood, telling him to take Estelle and _run_ in the opposite direction. But he has to ignore it. He isn't a fool. The prospect of fresh medical supplies is too good to pass up.

They continue on their way when she's finally done cleaning up. He lets a few more minutes pass before he breaks the silence and addresses the question that's hanging in the air. "What was that back there?"

"What are you talking about?" She feigns ignorance horribly.

He tries to choose his words carefully, but fails. "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about." Subtlety has never been his strong suit, anyways.

Annabeth turns to stare at him, the treacherous glint reappearing in her eyes without a doubt. "Don't worry about it." Her words are cold.

He waits a few moments for the weight of her words to process before slamming the Jeep to a stop. Percy turns to look at her, making sure to keep his words blank. "Let me make one thing clear to you." His eyes narrow. "I'm putting _my_ life," he then gestures towards Estelle,"and _her _life in your hands by agreeing to follow you out here. I already don't trust you, Annabeth. Saying sh- _stuff_ like that isn't helping your case."

All expression falls from her face as she cocks her head. "Well trust me on _this_, Percy. If I wanted to kill either of you, I would've done so already."

He huffs in empty humor and pushes on the accelerator, pulling the car back into motion. "I've heard that line way too many times to believe it anymore."

"And that honestly sounds like a personal problem," is her gruff response. Then, after a tense pause, she continues. Her words are softer by a fraction of a degree. "Just... _don't worry about it,_ alright? It isn't a danger to you, or to Stella."

The 24 year old tries not to tense up at the sound of Estelle's nickname coming from her mouth. _You don't know her well enough to call her that,_ he wants to say. But he doesn't.

So instead, Percy tries to believe her words. But after a few moments of trying in silence, he finds that he can't do that either.

They remain quiet for the rest of the car ride. After a few more idle directions from Annabeth, they pull into the hospital parking lot. The 24 year old slows the Jeep to a crawling speed, keeping an eye out of any of the Infected.

He tugs his Yankee baseball cap lower over his head and pulls into a parking space a little ways from the entrance. Annabeth unbuckles her seat belt and grips her weapons. Percy does the same.

But then he opens his door to head to Estelle's aid, and the stench hits his nostrils with the strength of an uppercut. The 24 year old reaches over and slams the door closed, pressing the fabric of his shirt against his nose.

"What are you doing?" Annabeth stares at him.

He shakes the grimace from his face and turns to her. "It stinks out there."

The question mark doesn't leave her expression. "It stinks everywhere, Percy." She rolls her eyes and turns towards her door, prepared to exit.

The 24 year reaches over and closes her door. Then, he leans back while shaking his head. "No, you don't understand." He pauses for a moment, his gaze sliding over to his younger sister before he continues. "It smells like-"

"The Infected." She finishes. "Not the dead."

He nods.

Annabeth looks like she's about to curse. "Well then that means..." She trails off and her irises fall on Estelle as well.

_Shit. _Percy rips off his cap and sinks a hand into his hair. "A herd. There's a herd around here somewhere. And we've got to find it before they find us."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading, and thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! Y'all are the best :)**

**Another question: How long do you think you'd last in the zombie apocalypse, realistically?**

**I'd think I'd last about 3 weeks to around a month and a half. aklsnf;asnds I am NOT athletic and have zero experience with weapons.**

_**Next chapter will be out when we get 12 more reviews!**_

**~ everyshadedsilver**


End file.
